Keep me forever
by lulu9994
Summary: Rick comes across his sister he hadn' seen in 4 years and a suprise stranger that will throw everyones world for a loop? Shane will find his lost love changed and something else he wasn't expecting.
1. Chapter 1

Fall was coming fast! The long hot days quickly turned cooler. Rick worried that everyone wouldn't be ready. "We've got to get crackin." Rick thought as he walked through the woods. Everyone was getting antsy about the cold weather coming. As he walked the sound of leave crunching stopped Rick dead in his tracks. He took a deep breath and followed the sound. Surely no walker would come out this far. After a few more steps he came across a woman with dirty blonde hair standing alone. Her back was turned to Rick. She didn't move. Rick figured she probably thought he was a walker too. "Excuse me ma'am. I'm a police officer. I won't hurt you." Something about her was strangely familiar. She stood still not moving a muscle. "You bit?" Rick shook his head, "No. Why don't you turn around here and we can talk." She started to turn and Rick felt sadness and shock when he saw her face.

"Hailey?" He gasped looking at his little sister's face. Rick thought she would be dead yet here she was in front of him. Her face mirrored his expression. "Rick! Oh my god!" She ran to him jumping in his arms. Rick held her tightly before kissing her forehead. "Oh Hailey I have been worried about you. Why did you stay away from us for 4 years for? Was it Shane?" Hailey sighed thinking about her boyfriend who she still had some sort of feelings for. She looked at Rick sadly. They had always been close throughout childhood. He was a couple of years older than her but treated her like a princess. "In some ways…There's a lot to explain Rick." He looked at her carefully. Rick had enough common sense to know that there was an underlying meaning to her words. "Tell me everything than you can come back with me. Everyone will be glad to see you." Hailey sighed, "I can't tell you Rick but I can show you. Lexi its safe." About that time a little girl stepped out of a bush. She couldn't be more than 4. Rick looked at her with an open mouth. She was small with brown hair and brown eyes…Shane's eyes. Rick looked at Hailey sadly, "Hailey why didn't you tell me? Does Shane know?" Hailey shook her head. "The day I was going to tell him I caught him kissing Tina Felton. That's the day I left." Lexi looked at Rick with a wary expression, "Who is he mommy?" Hailey smiled knelling down beside her daughter. "Lexi this is your uncle Rick. He's my brother." Rick smiled knelling down in front of her. She sure reminded him of Shane. "Hi sweetie. Boy you sure are pretty." She smiled walking to Rick wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you for finding us." Rick looked at his sister. "Come on you are coming back with me."

It took Rick some time to convince Hailey to follow his especially when he said Shane was there. "Shane's my daddy right?" Lexi asked as they walked through the woods. Hailey kissed her daughters little cheek. "Yes." Rick looked at his niece sadly. She was more than met the eye and obviously smarter than your average 4 year old. Rick stepped into try to get her mind off of the father she didn't know. "Lexi your Aunt Lori and cousin Carl will be very happy to see you." Lexi grinned, "Yay I can have someone to play with!"

As they got back to Herschel's farm Lori came running out to meet Rick but froze when she saw Hailey. She took off down the steps and ran to Hailey who eagerly hugged her sister in law. Lori wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at little Lexi. "Oh I want to kill him now. How could he not want this precious little angel?" Hailey looked at Lori sadly. She had never told Lori and Rick about Lexi because she didn't want Shane to know. If he was going to cheat on her with some whore than he wouldn't care if they were having a child so Hailey didn't say anything. Lori smiled looking at Lexi, "Why don't you come inside with your Auntie Lori and let me get you something to eat?" Lexi looked really happy at that. "Yes please." Hailey smiled as she watched Lori carry Lexi into the house. Rick smiled, "Come on sis. Let's go over here and talk. I want to hear everything you have been doing this past 4 years."

Shane was worn out! He had spent most of the morning collecting water. He was thankful it was getting fall. The whole damn summer was to hot! He was looking forward to nothing more than a nap or drowning himself in spring. With a groan he walked into the kitchen where everyone was standing around. "Hey look we can all fit in the kitchen what do ya know." Everyone turned to look at Shane when he started talking. They all looked like someone had died. Andrea was holding a little girl on her lap. Shane frowned. The kid looked familiar. She didn't even look up at him instead was focusing on the pudding Lori was feeding her. "I think I will like it here. You all keep feeding me yummies." Lori stood up looking at Shane. "You big bully I am going to kill you!" She flew at him but was caught by Rick. "Lori he don't know!" Shane was totally confused. "What the hell did I do now?" He said angrily. The little girl look up. "Who is he?"." Her voice was smooth and she looked at him like she was surveying a bug. Shane frowned, "Who are you?" About that time the door opened and someone he thought he would never see again walked in. His hear stopped seeing Hailey's face. She still looked so beautiful but froze when she saw him. Hailey looked at the face of the man she loved and had the strange want to run…as fast as she could. He still looked amazing…still had the body of a god." Shane stepped forward, "Hailey? How are you?" She shrugged, "Hello Shane." The little girl on Andreas lap jumped off and looked right at Shane. "Mommy?" Hailey looked at Lexi with a panicked expression. Rick quickly picked Lexi up, frowning at Shane, and walked to the other side of the room. Shane couldn't move when the little girl said mommy. "Mommy?" He questioned looking at Hailey with a frown. Hailey took a breath. "Yes. Shane this is your daughter Lexi."


	2. Chapter 2

Shane stood dumbfounded not knowing what to do or say. He felt like he could pass out. Hailey looked at him angrily. "Well aren't you going to say something?" She had literally known Shane all over her life and he could never shut up when he needed to. Now here he was at a time where something should be said and he just stands there. He turned looking at the little girl in Rick's arms. She looked back at him with a questioning expression. Lori looked around the room at all the faces looking so interested in the situation before them. "I think you all need to leave. There's a lot that needs to be said." Everyone filed out until it was just Rick, Lori, Shane, Hailey, and Lexi in the kitchen. Rick sat down holding Lexi. "Ok. Well this is all a shock." Shane rolled his eyes looking at Hailey. "Why didn't you tell me? I mean come on Hailey!" Hailey frowned angrily, "You were too busy making out with Tina Felton when you were supposed to be MY boyfriend." Shane frowned, "I'm sorry Hailey! I treated you wrong and I never should have done that. But you had my child and I never even knew she existed until now." Lexi looked at Rick, "Everybody is so angry now a days Uncle Rick." Lori frowned looking at Hailey and Shane. "Listen to the child." Rick sighed looking at Shane, "You were wrong to cheat on her Shane and for that I ought to kick your ass from here to Atlanta. Hailey you shouldn't have run off like that! Lori and I would have helped you." Shane frowned, "What am I chopped liver? I would have been there! I deserved to be there! I have missed out years of her life Hailey! I loved you and you left me! Do you have any idea how it was coming home that night and you were gone?" Hailey put her arms over her chest. Her blue eyes looked furious. "Probably the way I felt when I saw you kissin another woman." She turned and walked from the room.

Shane watched her go sadly. He wanted nothing more than to go grab her and beg forgiveness for the pain he caused her. Lexi climbed off of Rick's lap and walked over to Shane, "Hi Daddy. I guess you didn't get hit by a bus." Shane looked down at her with teary eyes. He leaned down beside her. "No darlin. I never got hit by a bus." Lexi smiled touching his face. "Talk to mommy. She still loves you." Shane looked at her carefully trying to ignore the looks Lori was giving Rick who sat looking icily at the floor. "I'll try baby." Lori smiled finally. "Come one sweetie let get you to bed." Lexi looked up with a grin. "Daddy can do it Auntie." Shane looked a little unsure of himself now. Lori nodded enjoying the feeling of watching Shane squirm. "Well ok. Good night dear." Lori walked over and gently kissed Lexi as she followed Shane to an upstairs bedroom.

Shane sat looking at his little girl for a long time. "Lexi I'm sorry I haven't been around. I promise I won't leave you ever again." Lexi smiled. "Mommy is sad a lot." Shane looked down sadly. "I'll do what I can to make her happy." Lexi nodded, "Do you know any bed time stories?" Shane raised an eyebrow, "Uh…not really but let me try darlin." Shane tried to come up with a decent story that would scare the girl to death. It ended up being a mixture of The Three Little Pigs, Snow White, and something else. Right as he was getting done Hailey walked into the room. She looked at Shane sitting beside Lexi sadly. This should have been the way things were all along. Hailey was starting to blame herself but on one side she couldn't stand being cheated on when she loved him so. "Well I guess that's enough for tonight." Shane said with a gentle smile. Lexi sat blinking looking at Shane like he was nuts. She slowly crawled out of the bed and picked up a few story books out of her bag and laid them on Shane's lap. "Read these tonight. We will talk about them at breakfast." She crawled back in bed and lay down as Hailey came over and kissed her goodnight. "Good night mommy." She said in a soft baby voice. Hailey smiled kissing her cheek. "Good night. If you need me I will be next door." Lexi nodded closing her little eyes and snuggling up with a dirty stuffed lamb. Hailey and Shane slowly walked out.

As she went to walk into her room Shane grabbed her hand. "Hailey can we talk?" Hailey looked at him and shook her head. "I have nothing to say to you Shane." Shane rolled his eyes rubbing his head. "Hailey I thought you loved me?" Hailey looked at him like he was nuts. "I thought you loved me!" Shane sighed, "Hailey look I was drunk it shouldn't have happened with Tina or whatever her name was. I want another chance with you and with Lexi. I want a chance for our family. Please give me that." Hailey frowned, "I don't know Shane. I got a lot of thinking to do." Shane nodded, "Ok." He looked at her sadly before walking away. Hailey looked at his back sadly. He looked different without his full head of wavy hair but was still so handsome. With a sigh she walked into her bedroom to attempt to sleep.

The next morning Lexi and Carl were outside playing. Hailey sat beside Lori who seemed more cheerful than ever. "I am so happy you are here Hailey. It's doing Carl good to have someone to play with." Hailey smiled, "It does Lexi good too." Shane stood a few feet away with Rick, "Look man I am tryin to make it right with Hailey." Rick looked at Shane darkly, "You better. I'm pretty pissed at you man but I know you are. I also know you will be good to little Lexi." Shane looked over at his little girl who was chasing after Carl. She was so little. "I'm not lettin either of them out of my sight again. " Rick nodded as a scream pierced the air. Shane turned in a panic to see several walkers getting close to Lexi and Carl. "SHANE!" Hailey screamed as loud as she could. Hailey took off down the stairs toward Lexi and Carl while Lori stood frozen on the porch. Hailey threw her arms around Lexi and Carl who were both screaming. "mommy make them go away!" Lexi squealed holding her mother as tightly as possible as gunshots started going through the air. "Hailey! Lexi!" Shane's voice had a panic Hailey had never heard in it. Rick was busy screaming for Carl as he and Shane took down the walkers one by one.

Once they were all gone Shane prayed silently that they were all safe. He ran to her as quick as he could pulling both Hailey and Lexi into his arms. "Are you both all right?" He asked looking at them with panicked eyes. Hailey nodded as she kissed Lexi's little head that was pressed between her mother and father. Shane sighed pressing his forehead against Hailey and holding her as tight as possible. At least this time he was able to keep them safe. Feeling Hailey's face pressed against his chest made tubs of memories shoot into Shane's mind; their first kiss, the first time they made love, the time Hailey almost burned the house down fixing cake… He smiled slightly but the sadness was eating away at him like a monster making feel even more unstable. Lexi wiggled in-between them, "Can I get down now? They all gone bye bye." Shane gently sat her down and watched as she ran to Lori on the porch. "Auntie did you see? Daddy saved me!" Lori looked at Shane and Hailey sadly as she coaxed Lexi into the house. Shane turned back to Hailey. "Are you ok?" She nodded laying her head against his chest. "I didn't think you would get here quick enough." He looked at her looking deep into her blue eyes, "Hailey I will always save you. I won't let anything happen to you." Hailey smiled looking up at him. His brown eyes were still so intense just like they always had been. "I know you will." Shane carefully leaned down pressing a gentle kiss to her lips…


End file.
